


Perhaps it is Fate

by TwinKats



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Prelude to a lovestory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-11
Updated: 2013-05-11
Packaged: 2017-12-11 14:03:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/799539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwinKats/pseuds/TwinKats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It started with a Trial, after The Ultimate Enemy, and it ends in love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Phantom on Trial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is more of a formality than anything.

_“You manipulated the boy! You influenced his choice!” the first Observant uttered, outraged._

_“That’s a direct violation of the protocol of temporal displacement!” the second Observant growled. “In other words…”_

_“…you cheated!” the two snapped together._

_Clockwork just grinned up at them, his childish face alight with a sort of unholy glee that set many a ghost, despite the buck teeth, on edge._

_“True, I cheated,” the childish face replied in a much more mature voice. Within seconds the ghost appeared older, more mature, but still smiling quite deviously. “But I assure you his choice was his own.”_

_“You realize the boy is your responsibility now,” the first said coldly._

_“As is his evil self, now that he exists outside of time,” the second stated._

_Clockwork’s grin widened as he replied, eyes round with fake innocence, “I know,” eyes narrowed, “but then, I know everything.” Calm as can be Clockwork floated past the two Observants and through a glowing doorway. Carefully he set the thermos down on a shelf, nearby a few other knickknacks and books. He smirked as the thermos shook with the struggles of the ghost trapped within. Shaking his head in mild amusement he left the room and shut the door behind him._

_“The others have agreed to hold the boy for trial,” the first Observant spoke up as Clockwork locked the door._

_“You will stand as his witness and defense,” the second uttered shortly. “Be on time for once, Clockwork.”_

_With that the two vanished; Clockwork rolled his eyes slightly._

_“Of course,” he murmured, floating over towards one of his viewers and smiled._

* * *

 

The trial would go smoothly, Clockwork knew. The Observants took his words in high regard despite their continuous posturing and claims to control him. He knew without a doubt that it was more the opposite. The Observants trusted him to such an extent—trusted his foreknowledge and his insight—that they had once taken it as gospel. Of course such a thing was forgotten now and the notion laughable.

Clockwork may know all, but knowing all did not make the knowledge easy to bare. In fact it made it quite harder; his ‘predictions’ of future outcomes relied more on his knowledge of _people_ themselves. Every once and a while a person _would_ surprise him by taking a turn he did not expect, despite seeing it. However over the many millennia he’s worked with the Observants one thing about them has yet to change: their acceptance and consideration of his word.

They may not see his voice as gospel anymore but they did hold his advice in high esteem, and since they had stated the young Phantom was _his_ responsibility well…they weren’t going to condemn the child. The trial was a formality and nothing more.

Danny did not, and would not, know this until after the fact however. It is never wise to divulge the details before hand unless things take a turn one does not expect, nor desire. The situation with the young Phantom’s possible future was a rare exception to the rule where the _foreknowledge_ in fact changed the decision that _created_ that life into the position that Clockwork preferred.

Such a situation rarely presents itself. On the rare chance that it _does_ , well…if it’ll go against the ‘orders’ his so-called employers decide to give him and create a little ruckus in duration who was he to deny himself the pleasure? They bring it on themselves, honestly, what with how often they come to him over the _littlest_ of things.

Not that he minds, truly. It alleviates any potential boredom and honestly? He likes the rare times he is given a charge. It livens up his ‘after life’ so to speak.

For this reason Clockwork wasn’t sorry for interrupting the young Phantom’s bonding time with his big sister.

“Clockwork?” the teen blinked at the ghost floating in his room. Clockwork held out a hand for the child to take. “Uhm…what’s going on?”

“You have to come in for a trial, young Phantom,” the ghost uttered. “I’m afraid that the actions you might have taken while no longer a possible future still warrants the need for a review of your person. The High Council has thus decided to try you for _what you could have done_ either way.”

Danny gaped at the older ghost before him.

“But I—”

“This is not optional,” Clockwork uttered sternly. “Have heart; be true to yourself and all will be fine, child. Now come.” Clockwork flexed his fingers and hesitantly Danny stepped towards the other ghost.

“Who are you and what are you talking about?” Jazz demanded suddenly, standing up. “What do you mean my brother has to be tried for _what he didn’t do?!_ ”

Clockwork glanced at the girl and uttered, “Unfortunately, my lady, this is not a choice for you nor I. To be honest I would rather do away with the whole thing. Your brother has proven himself when he trapped his possible future _out of time_ and then chose to not cheat. However the High Council still wishes to review his actions; it shouldn’t take longer than an hour and your brother will hopefully, if the Council votes in favor of his case, be back here none the worse for wear.”

Jazz bit her lip, “And if they don’t?”

“Then everything, your knowledge of ghosts to your parents portal to your brother’s existence will be erased from all of Time,” Clockwork stated bluntly. “It will be as if he never existed.”

“But—”

“We’ve wasted enough time,” Clockwork interrupted sharply, eyes narrowing. “If we waste any longer we’ll be late and _that_ won’t help your brother’s case. Young Phantom….”

Danny shot Jazz a nervous smile and took Clockwork’s hand, “I’ll be fine Jazz. You’ll see.”

A flash of blue and the spinning of a clock hand later Clockwork and Danny arrived outside the Observants Tower. Danny quickly transformed into Danny Phantom and glanced at the older ghost, worried.

“This is the Observants Tower,” Clockwork stated, placing a hand against the young teens back and leading him into the building. “It lies just north of my own Clock Tower in the portion of the Ghost Zone known as the _Timeless Lands_.”

“ _Timeless Lands?_ ” Danny asked, biting his lip nervously. He was thankful for Clockwork’s attempt at belaying his fears.

The older ghost smiled down at Danny and nodded, “Yes. The Ghost Zone is made up of various lands. The place where your Portal comes out is the _Land of Lairs_ , or the _Doorlands_. The _Doorlands_ is an area made up entirely of doors that lead to other internal pocket dimensions. These pocket dimensions are lairs created by a few ghosts that have enough energy to do so. Directly past the _Doorlands_ are a set of islands, yes?”

“Yeah! Like Skulker’s Island?” Danny blinked and Clockwork nodded.

“Yes; those islands start out generally as unclaimed territory,” Clockwork said. “However a ghost may ‘conquer’ an island and claim it as his own, like Skulker’s ‘hunting grounds’. These islands are known as the _Claimed Lands_. All of them are ‘claimed’ by a ghost. Further past that is the land known as the _Far Frozen_ which is a purely ice climate, and even further out is the _Timeless Lands_ , which is where we are. The _Timeless Lands_ are as the name suggests: timeless. What exists out here exists _out of time_. The main two places you have to know for now are my Clock Tower, and the Observants Tower.

Finally, all of the different ‘lands’ surround a central ‘city’ which is what you could say the ‘true’ Ghost Zone. The ‘city’ holds places such as Walker’s Prison and Pariah Dark’s Keep. Follow me so far?”

Danny nodded his head in understanding, despite how confusing the older ghosts words were it _did_ make sense in a way.

“Good, now focus,” Clockwork uttered, “and remain calm. Remember to be true to yourself and everything will be _fine_.”

He waved his Scepter and the doors they just stopped before opened. A gentle push forced Danny into the room that was surrounded by _several_ ghosts that all looked the same: eyestalks with hands, staring down at a central platform.

“Danny Phantom, you stand before the Ghost High Council of Observants on trial of actions you may have taken that would endanger all of the Ghost Zone, the Eternals, and the Human World itself….”

* * *

In the end Danny was released with Clockwork as his mentor. He had figured near the end of the trial that the Observants had put him on that, obviously, the whole thing was nothing except a formality. They had decided his fate before he had even stepped into the room and really it was just to tell him he was placed under the care of Clockwork ‘to be educated’ or so the Observants said.

Danny had asked if this was normal and Clockwork told him that while yes, an older and much more knowledgeable ghost may occasionally be told to mentor a newer, younger ghost, no it was not an often occurrence. In fact it only ever happened if the newer ghost showed promise and _power_ as most things in the Ghost Zone were respected through _power_. Clockwork exclaimed that he himself hadn’t been put in charge of a ghost in many centuries.

In fact the last ghost that Clockwork was told to educate went on to twist his own future to such a point that became feared throughout all of the Ghost Zone. The Observants had then-ruled after the fact that Clockwork shall only take on the role of mentor in the direst of circumstances: if he was forced interfere in the time stream. The reason why?

Well, the last ghost he mentored was _Pariah Dark_.

Needless to say Danny understood the Observants proclamation, and he didn’t question his new role as Clockwork’s charge. Besides he _promised_ to never turn out like his possible future, and in the end that was all that mattered.


	2. A Future Not Seen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once again the Observants call upon Danny Phantom and Clockwork, only this time it is not what either expects.

Clockwork knew that Danny Phantom would be late, bogged down just a bit from the consumption of alcohol. While he _could_ have gone and woke the boy up, and therefore gotten them _both_ on time to the meeting (apparently the Observants wished him to be present as well) Clockwork rather preferred his somewhat _small_ rebellion. It was also a tradition.

Kind of.

For that reason alone the Time Master immersed himself into his repairing of clocks in his workroom. It was a soothing, relaxing venture that he could just lose himself into. Incidentally it also helped him process his knowledge of what future events were to pass. It was his one, true freedom in this domain.

Everything else was work, work, work, work, work after all.

Cue to clock ringing out the hour past and the young Phantom came barreling into his workroom, out of breath. Clockwork rather calmly straightened up from the clock he was working over and sent the teen a bemused smile.

“S-S-Sorry I’m late!” Phantom breathed out, bending over at the waist and gasping. It was so interesting for the aged ghost to see the halfa’s natural human instincts come to the fore even in his ghostly body. It brought a smile and a chuckle to his blue-tinged face.

“Maybe you should not have had so much to drink, then?” he intoned, calmly picking up his staff from beside the door.

Phantom winced slightly with a muttered, “It’s not my fault the Truce Party was in full swing when I got there and a completely drunk Skulker shoved as much alcohol down my throat as he could the minute I stepped through the door!”

“Mm, of course not,” was the dry response. A pale, purple gloved hand reached out and ruffled Phantom’s white locks. “Come. We’re late.”

Phantom turned and followed after him. They were quiet as they made their way out of the Clock Tower and on the roughly thirty minute flight to the Observants Tower. At least until, as Clockwork knew the teen would, Phantom spoke up fifteen minutes into their travel.

“What do they want, anyway?”

“Hmm…” Clockwork hummed lightly, tapping his fingers absentmindedly along his staff. “There are literally a million different things that are each just as likely for this meeting, child.” Clockwork glanced at the boy out of the corner of his eye. A full year since the boy had been placed under his care, to teach and mold, and Phantom had turned into quite the critical thinker, although he still had quite a ways to go.

“You don’t know which are the most likely scenarios?”

Ah, and there was the question the aged ghost had wanted to hear! Bravo, Phantom….

“The most likely scenarios all have some connection to Ghost Writer,” Clockwork conceded calmly, knowing that the boy would learn the truth about the young author sooner or later.

Not that he would divulge it.

“Its…not about my provoking him last year was it? Or about the state of the Library?” Phantom quarried, all but nibbling on his gloved fingernails in worry. The Time Master sent him an easing smile, placing a comforting hand on the teens shoulder. He squeezed, let go, and they continued the flight in silence.

What was to happen at this meeting, however, would even blow Clockwork’s foreknowledge right out of the water.

* * *

“You’re late,” the Observant Council boomed as the door eased open revealing Clockwork and Danny Phantom.

“Have we not discussed this behavior, Clockwork?” a group to the right intoned.

Clockwork sent them all a bemused smile and replied, “Possibly. It’s hard to say.”

A group to the left twitched in annoyance.

A group in the middle rolled their eyes.

A group in the right twittered, angrily.

One Observant dressed in full gold stood up and the room fell silent. Danny recognized this one as the main spokesman, the one that delivered with cold efficiency the so called facts of his trial last year. Well it was _claimed_ a trial though it was more a formality. The whole process had still rattled the ghost teens teeth either way.

“To be sure all are in attendance we have called before us Clockwork, the current Master of Time and owner of the Clock Tower, resident of the _Timeless Lands_?”

Clockwork nodded his head calmly. Beside him Danny fidgeted minutely.

“And we have also called before us Danny Phantom, status as a halfa, resident of FentonWorks, Amity Park, Illinois?”

Danny swallowed tightly and nodded as well. The Observant dressed in full gold’s eye crinkled, as if pleased by the teenagers response this time around. Danny relaxed minutely at that.

Last time the Observants, as a collective, had glared down at him when he had answered verbally. Apparently that was a big _NO_ for when you stood before this body. Unless they asked that you speak, of course.

“Good,” Observants uttered as one.

“We have called the two of you here today to discuss a very important term of subjects,” the right portion of the group of Observants intoned.

Clockwork’s brow furrowed ever so slightly.

“You see we, the Observants High Council, have noticed a…particular interesting turn of the young Danny Phantom’s development,” the left portion of the group of Observants continued calmly.

Clockwork’s lips pulled into a frown.

“And because of this interesting development, only seen by records as to have ever happened _once_ before, we have decided to inform the two of you of a very important decision,” the center portion of the group of Observants uttered.

“Henceforth Danny Phantom shall be declared as the Apprentice of the current Master of Time, Clockwork, until such a time that he, Danny Phantom, completes his Apprenticeship and the current Master of Time, Clockwork, retires,” the golden Observant called.

Thunderous, loud, and booming the group said as one, “Agreed.”

Clockworks mouth fell open in shock, his red eyes went wide, and he screeched out “WHAT?!” to the group, horrified.

Danny shivered, somehow knowing his life had just gotten _that much_ harder.

“You will find the required dress outside the door. Have a good day!” the golden Observant uttered almost _cheerfully_.

Clockwork and Danny found themselves staring at a wall.


End file.
